Fallingwater

The 12-foot-tall waterfall in Laguna Beach, opposite, looks as if it’s coming from the Jacuzzi above, but it’s not, says architect Mark Singer, who created the long, vertical flow of water to visually link the home’s first and second stories. To create the tapered waterfall, two 1/4-inch chains are gathered at the top and bottom. “It slows down the water and controls the flow,” explains Singer. “It’s the same principle as water traveling down a pencil; the surface tension makes it cling.” Without them, the water would spread and splash the courtyard windows instead of falling in a slender column into the glass basin below. When the 18-inch-tall receptacle fills, water slips over the side into a bare landscape of charcoal-colored Mexican pebbles. The flowing water helps to circulate the air and can help to cool the kitchen if the door is left open, Singer says. But mostly, the architect adds, it’s just a beautiful visual feature that creates a soothing sound. “Water is the fluid of life . . . there’s nothing more enthralling than the sound of a stream or, if you live by the ocean, the breaking waves.”

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Water Feature

WATERFALL

Architect: Mark Singer Architects, Laguna Beach, (949) 499-6244.

Conceit: A vertical water feature links a two-story home.

Sustainability: “The water is recycled and falls into a xeriscape gravel courtyard. You lose some water to evaporation, but a lot less than when you water a lawn.”--Mark Singer

Water audio: “A volume control offers a range of water levels, from a soft trickle to a pounding, crashing fall. The clients usually keep it on a lower volume.”--M.S.